Amaziah King of Judah
1
In the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel,
Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.
2
He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in
Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Jehoaddin;
she was from Jerusalem.
3
He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as is father
David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash.
4
The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued
to offer sacrifices and burnt incense there.
5
After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials
who had murdered his father the king.
6
Yet he did not put the sons of the assassins to death, in accordance with
what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the LORD commanded:
"Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death
for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins"
7
He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt
and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.
8
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz,
the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challege: "come, meet me face to face."
9
But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah:
"A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon,
'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' The a wild beast
in Lebanon came along and trample the thistle under foot.
10
You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant.
Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and
cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?"
11
Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked.
He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah.
12
Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.
13
Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash,
the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem
and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to
the Corner Gate - a sectioin about six hundred feet long.
14
He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of
the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages
and returned to Samaria.
15
As for the other events pf the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements,
including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book
of the annals of the kings of Israel?
16
Jehoash rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings
of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.
17
Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after
the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel.
18
As for the other events of Amaziah's reign, are they not written in the book
of the annals of the kings of Judah?
19
They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish,
but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.
20
He was brought back by horse and was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers,
in the City of David.
21
Then all the people of Judah took Azariah (Uzziah), who was sixteen years old,
and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.
22
He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah
after Amazah rested with his fathers.
Jeroboam II King of Israel
23
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king Judah, Jeroboam son of
Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years.
24
He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins
of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.
25
He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath
to the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the word of the LORD,
the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai,
the prophet from Gath Hepher.
26
The LORD had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel,
whether slave or free, was suffering; there was no one to help them.
27
And since the LORD had not said he would blot out the name of Israel
from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.
28
As for the other events of Jeroboam's reign, all he did, and his military
achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and
Hamath, which had belonged to Yaudi, are they not written
in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
29
Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel.
And Zechariah his son succeeded him a king.
